(1) Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to apparatus for cooling the head of a worker who must perform his or her tasks outdoors and in the heat of the sun.
(2) Description of Prior Art:
Most workers who must perform their tasks outdoors and in the sun have not had much success in keeping cool. In the absence of a natural breeze, shading devices or hand held, manually operated fans have been the major sources of protection from the heat of the sun.
Regardless of the cooling device employed, freedom to use ones hands has posed a limitation as to the configuration of any self-transported cooling device. Where only one hand needed to be free, a flashlight configuration, such as the Portable Electric Fan of Puttaert et al (1923), was a feasible solution. Another approach was the combining of an umbrella and a motor driven cooling fan, the latter mounted under the crown of the umbrella (Covington, 1965).
The most common approach for hands-free operation has centered on hats or helmets as the support element for small, circulating fans. Limberg's Hat With Power Cooling featured a battery operated, self contained fan, mounted on the visor of the hat. Sweatbands of sponge-like material, to hold water, added the cooling effect of evaporating water. Another version of the technique is found in the Headgear of Frangos (1970, where propellers, operated by worm gears, were mounted atop a perforated helmet. The oscillating propellers were actuated by a remote power supply in the shape of a flashlight case. The most recent art of this type is the Power Ventilated Helmet of Yeager (1974) where a reversible exhaust fan is mounted in the crown of the helmet. Dahly, with a similar helmet in 1967, introduced a solar cell as a source of electrical power.
It is noted that none of these power cooled hats, helmets or other types of headgear have been a commercial success. These headgear have utilized motor-driven fans and batteries mounted to the head piece. The motors are mounted in a fixed position and drive air into or air from the interior of the helmets. Although providing for a flow of cooling air over the head of the wearer, these helmets and hats are relatively heavy and uncomfortable to wear. Also, because of the fixed mounting of the fan, the air flow is localized only to certain portions of the head. The present invention overcomes most of these drawbacks and provides flexibility in directing the flow of the air. Prior art known to this inventor includes the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
295,982, 1/1884, Conwell; PA0 1,473,045, 11/1923, Puttaert et al; PA0 2,495,265, 1/1950, Krogman; PA0 2,555,871, 6/1951, Caggiano; PA0 3,168,748, 2/1965, Limberg; PA0 3,177,881, 4/1965, Covington; PA0 3,353,191, 11/1967, Dahly; PA0 3,491,374, 1/1970, Frangos; PA0 3,813,696, 4/1971, Steeg; PA0 3,813,696, 6/1974, Yeager;